


Getting To Know Yoo

by sleepylashes



Category: Aespa (Band)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Romance, i only know jmj supremacy, my first multi-chaptered jmj omg, paperworks who, review classes what
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:41:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29961759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepylashes/pseuds/sleepylashes
Summary: Minjeong really tries to understand the fuss over knowing who Karina Yoo is. But she simply doesn’t get it.
Relationships: Kim Minjeong | Winter/Yoo Jimin | Karina
Comments: 5
Kudos: 31





	1. Minjeong doesn't know Yoo

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I had this prompt for a while now but it's only lately that I was able to put it into words. I know I said review classes are hectic (top it off with paperworks courtesy of my bosses) but whatever. YOLO. Heh. JMJ has been inspiring me to write these days I can't resist it.

Minjeong really tries to understand the fuss over knowing who Karina Yoo is. But she simply doesn’t get it.

“What do you mean you don’t know her??” her friend Yizhuo almost looked offended when she told her, “She’s like the _biggest_ name in the Korean industry right now!”

Minjeong simply raised a brow at the outburst, “So?” dedicatedly wiping the table where a couple just left. “Not everyone is interested in knowing who’s _it_ in the Korean industry, Ning.”

“You’re ridiculous, unnie.” Yizhuo frowns, crossing her arms on her chest with much disdain for her friend’s blatant ignorance. “Karina unnie is everywhere. It’s impossible for you not to know her.”

“Karina _unnie_?” Minjeong gives the girl a weird look, “Since when are you on a first name basis?”

“I’m an avid fan.” Yizhuo defends with pride, “I can basically call her unnie coz that’s what you call people you idolize.”

Minjeong snorted at the girl’s explanation.

“Whatever floats your boat, Ning Yizhuo,” swallowing a smart remark that was ready to tip off her tongue, making her way back to the counter with a shake of her head instead. “As long as it makes you happy, I guess.”

But Yizhuo had drawn her card just before Minjeong could completely shun the conversation down.

“Oh you know what will make me happy alright.”

Immediately stopping Minjeong from her tracks.

“Oh no. _Heck_ no,” comes her horrified statement when she whipped her head back at the younger girl. “The last time you said that line, I ended up lining up for your stupid fanmeeting with—” pausing as she tried (but miserably failed) to remember the name of that girl group Yizhuo was also an avid fan of, “…what’s the name of that group again? I know it was some sort of a cake... Tiramisu? No, no I think it’s Blueberry—”

“It’s _Red Velvet_.” Yizhuo corrected with passion, so done with her bestfriend’s _uncultured ass_. “Gosh you are so hopeless. They’re the _best idol group alive!_ How can you forget their name?”

But Minjeong simply shrugs, “Told you I’m not interested.” Totally indifferent at the information Yizhuo was trying to indoctrinate on her, “Just like how I’m _not interested_ in going to whatever event you’re planning to drag me into.”

And then the whining comes.

The earsplitting, skull-cracking, patience-depleting wail that comes automatic from Yizhuo when Minjeong starts off this kind of conversation with a rejection.

“Oh _come on,_ unnie~” the younger moans, lips jutted out and eyes brimming with an expression akin to that of a kicked puppy begging to be spared from assault.

_Ghad._

Minjeong still berates herself up to this date _why on earth_ she told Yizhuo that she cannot resist it when the latter does those stupid face acrobats, immediately melting Minjeong into a pathetic puddle of goo.

“It’s not like you have anything to do on that day. It’s Saturday which means it’s your day off and I know your class schedule. You have no classes on Saturdays.” Yizhuo reasons. “Please unnie. It’s a big day for Karebears and I don’t wanna miss it.”

Minjeong’s ears zoom in to that word, _“_ Hold up. _Karebears?”_

“Yeah. Fandom name for Karina fans.”

The attack slipped off before Minjeong could even stop herself. “What an _atrocious_ name for a fandom. Couldn’t you come up with something better?” face contorting into a combination of disgust and confusion because _really?_

_Karebears?_

(In her mind, Minjeong silently credits the _Yoonaddicts_ and _Yurisistables_ for coming up with the best, not to mention witty, fandom names. She could always rely on _Sones_ to have big brains.)

But Yizhuo is not having any of her jab, a rehearsed line of defense easily slipping through her mouth yet with much _gravity._

“ _Please._ You’re not a fan. Only _we_ are allowed to clown our fandom name. Your opinion is _invalid.”_ Yizhuo sassed, huffing at the audacity of her _so-called friend_ to insult their fandom name. “Plus, it’s cute! Karebears forever!”

Minjeong could only face-palm. “Oh god.”

“C’mon unnieeeee~” Yizhuo pressed harder than ever, back to her previous point and is now shaking the life out of Minjeong. “Besides, I already got you the ticket. All you need to do is accompany me. Please please _pleaaaassseeeee~”_

“Alright! Alright..” Minjeong had enough of whiny Yizhuo. “ _Cheesus._ You and your persistence,” sighing at the triumphant look finally painted across the girl’s face.

“Yey!! I know you secretly love it when I bring you to these events.”

Minjeong just rolls her eyes at the ridiculous statement before completely walking back behind the counter to resume her work.

“Never.”

***

_(“I swear unnie, you won’t regret coming with me to the concert.”_

_“I’m actually regretting it now..”_

_“No seriously. Once you saw Karina unnie, you’ll be blown away by her mad talent and visuals. Godddd, her visuals. It’s so out of this world! She is also a warm-hearted person which makes her the ultimate artist ever. She’s the best girl! Aaaccckkkk!”_

_“But you’ve also said that about your other idols—“_

_“Yes but you see Karina unnie is—“_

_“Ghad here we go again…”)_

***

Minjeong hates the idea of being late. She believes that everyone should respect each other’s time because it is something that couldn’t be bought by money.

Time is precious and _priceless_. So the idea of being late irks her to the core.

So imagine her nausea at the moment because _she_ is running late on her concert date with Yizhuo.

Her shift at the diner was supposed to finish hours before but pretty boy Renjun suddenly called in sick at the very last hour. She had no other choice but to cover for him or their boss would go berserk.

_Yizhuo_ is the one going berserk as a result of a happy boss, however, flooding Minjeong’s phone with calls and texts that the latter was not able to respond to because of the tremendous amount of errands at the restaurant.

“Oh dear I’m so dead _, I’m so dead_..” Minjeong mutters under her breath as she opens her phone, pursing her lips in trepidation when she speed dials Yizhuo’s number.

It was immediately answered on the first ring as if Yizhuo was staring at her phone this whole time waiting for her call.

“Yizhuo..”

_“Where are you Kim Minjeong??”_ the girl over the line welcomes, loud and _threatening,_ making Minjeong flinch _. “Did you bail on me??”_

Despite the obvious menace in her voice, Minjeong can hear the girl’s deep sadness over the line, making her guilty beyond measure for not giving the girl a heads-up on the sudden change of shift.

“No, _of course not_. How can I bail on my favorite girl?” she coaxes, knowing fully well how Yizhuo _loves_ being flattered _._ “It’s just that I had to cover for Renjun coz he suddenly called in sick just an hour before my shift was over. But I’m on way to the venue now. I’m sorry Ning Gingieeee~”

Minjeong can still hear Yizhuo’s pout over the line but the relieved sigh she caught told her she’s already forgiven, _“Hmp. I thought you ditched me. I was already formulating plans in my head how to burn your apartment without getting traced.”_

“Hey!”

Dolphin-shrieks of her friend filled Minjeong’s ear and she had to admit that, as annoying as the sound is, it somehow made her spirits soar. She was dead-tired for covering two shifts today and she wasn’t able to properly catch her breath before bolting out of the restaurant so she could get to the concert venue on time.

Yizhuo’s strange laugh, _albeit unearthly_ , has become an instant serotonin boost for Minjeong right now.

Just like always.

But Yizhuo doesn’t need to know that.

_“Bring me Pink Pringles as your peace offering then, peasant.”_ The girl suddenly commanded over the line. _“I didn’t eat my lunch because I immediately went here before the line could get longer. I’m starving unnie.”_

Minjeong bites back a sigh because, “Pink Pringles isn’t real food, Ning Yizhuo.”

But the girl begs to disagree. Yet again. _“How dare you disrespect Pink Pringles like that?? The audacity! Take it back!”_

Minjeong doesn’t really know why she’s arguing with the food-deprived, ear-fuming child right now. “Alright alright. _Jeez._ I’ll buy you that junk food no need to go cray cray,” scanning the area where she is currently at to look for the nearest convenience store. “Anything more princess?”

_“Buy some water too. The SM water please. It tastes good and has electrolytes. I need my energy for the concert.”_

It’s probably one of the very few things that Minjeong can totally agree with Yizhuo.

SM water, no matter how expensive, tasted the best and the most-water like among the bottles of water in the supermarket.

(When she and Yizhuo heard over the news that the manufacturing company was crappy, they were livid. But that didn’t stop them from patronizing their product. They have come into an agreement that it’s the quality of water they produce that matters anyway, not the darn, _pathetic_ company.)

“Okay. Got it. See you!”

Minjeong hangs up and pocketed her phone safely inside her strap bag before walking towards the mini mart she spotted. She silently prayed to the universe that she finds Pink Pringles in this store or she would have to search the entire area.

This type of Pringles was not often stocked it’s almost a miracle to find them on grocery aisles.

So perhaps miracles _do_ happen because Minjeong sees a lone, beautiful Mr. Pink Pringles standing tall in the shelf near the freezer area. It was the only one left and Kim Minjeong breathes a smile of relief as she reaches out for the treat.

She can finally get to Yizhuo and get this concert over with.

But just as Minjeong takes a hold of the Pink Pringles, a deep, velvety voice startles her.

“Yah! That’s mine!”

With a surprised gasp, she whips her head to the direction of the voice and sees a girl wearing a blue hoodie and a black mask covering her face. Her big, round eyes are staring down at Minjeong that if she was a weak-hearted dimwit, she probably would’ve fainted.

Thankfully, she isn’t.

“ _Excuse me_?” she spat, reciprocating the intense stare of the girl who is much taller than her.

“I said,” husks the taller girl, grabbing the bottom half of the Pink Pringles in Minjeong’s hands, “This is _mine_.”

On reflex, Minjeong tightens her hold over the container, scoffing at the girl’s boldness because, “Are you blind? It’s in my possession before you butted in. It’s _mine.”_

The girl’s round eyes turned into slits at Minjeong’s response, “But I’ve been eyeing this Pink Pringles even before you got here.”

“Well, too bad coz I’ve got it first, doofus.”

Minjeong pulls the Pringles away from the grasp of the taller girl to emphasize her point, raising her nose as if to challenge her. She heard the girl huffing, could feel her silent rage especially when the girl’s round eyes, that Minjeong may or may not find really enthralling, are now glaring at her.

“I don’t really wanna do this,” the girl warned, “But you left me no choice.”

For a second, Minjeong was scared of what the girl would do. She was inches taller than her and she seemed to have broad shoulders compared to Minjeong (not that Minjeong checked her out, _of course not)_.

Anything could happen especially this time and age when people would hit other people _just because_ (which is rude and barbaric by the way) _._ Minjeong was lowkey preparing herself to take defense in case the girl turns out to be a lunatic of some sort.

She learned kendo when she was a kid. She could use the Pringles in her hand as an improvised baton or something.

But to her surprise and _utter confusion_ , the girl simply pulled her mask and drawn her hood down, revealing what is probably the _most beautiful face_ Minjeong had seen in her short lifespan.

The girl has a small, perfectly-sculpted face that is balanced by a long and slender neck. Her big, feline-like eyes are so captivating Minjeong had to quietly bite the inside of her cheek not to let out a squeal.

Okay so _the girl’s darn attractive._

So what?

“Uhm…” she blinks, collecting herself from the short-lived trance the girl’s _unearthly beauty_ has put her into. “..okay?”

Minjeong saw the girl's face getting confused, brows furrowing together at her response. “What do you mean _‘okay’_?”

“Okay as in, _okay,_ you lowered your mask down and you showed me your face. And for _what_ exactly?”

The girl’s confusion just morphed into a deeper sense of bewilderment, eyes getting wider for reasons Minjeong couldn’t understand.

“Y-you don’t know me?”

Minjeong just raised a brow. She took a closer look at the girl, trying to remember if she ever encountered the face. Maybe she was a classmate in one of her classes? A usual customer at the diner perhaps?

(Minjeong thinks that if they have ever met before, she would remember. She never forgets a beautiful face. Especially not _the kind of face_ the girl has.)

But nothing comes into mind. The girl’s face, despite how stunning, doesn’t ring a bell _at all._

“I’m sorry but I really don’t. Have we met before?”

The girl gasped, as if what Minjeong said was the most appalling thing she ever heard.

But before the girl could even find her words, Minjeong’s phone rang, the latter noting how the flabbergasted girl infront of her jumped out of surprise. She fishes it out of her bag with a sigh knowing very well who it could be.

It’s her Highness Ning Yizhuo.

_“I’m starving hurry upppp._

_Or I’m burning your apartment.”_

_“For real this time.”_

Comes the text message which, even though is quite impossible because Yizhuo is a sweetheart who can’t even hurt a fly, the girl’s threats always had the seriousness in it, shaking Minjeong to the core.

She needs to be there _ASAP_ if she wants an intact apartment by tomorrow.

“Look, Miss..” Minjeong addressed the girl after pocketing her phone, “I don’t know what kind of prank you’re pulling or if this is some kind of a hidden camera show similar to that one I watched in youtube. But I just don’t have time for this,” giving her a wry smile, “I have a concert to attend to and my friend’s waiting for me so I need to go. Have a great day, alright?”

With that, Minjeong turned around, leaving the girl with the Pink Pringles in her rightful possession (but not without remembering the girl’s face just in case they ever meet each other again).

***

Jimin stayed frozen in her place, still processing what transpired just now.

Never in her successful career did anyone overlook her presence, let alone be ignorant of who she is.

_But the girl…_

The girl clearly doesn’t _know_ her.

“Jimin _what the heck_?!” an enraged whisper suddenly pulled her out of her daze, her hood being shoved back at the top of her head, “What are you thinking?? Someone might have seen you! The paparazzis are everywhere you know that.”

But she isn’t having any of her manager unnie’s scolding, mind still occupied of the encounter, “She doesn’t know me..”

“What?”

Jimin, tall, famous Jimin who had millions of fans wrapped around her finger, twitches in displeasure because of one _beautiful_ girl who doesn’t know her.

“That girl doesn’t know who I am unnie… She doesn’t know who Karina Yoo is..”

And it doesn’t sit right with her. _At all._

  
  



	2. Yoo make it so complicated

Kim Minjeong is never the one to forget a face. It’s one of the many perks of having a good memory.

You see, she would memorize the littlest details of a person she would find physically appealing: from the eyes, the curve of the nose, to the shape of the lips and the roundness of the face. She would remember it all.

And right now, she suddenly despises this ability because all she wants is to _un_ -remember the face of the girl standing in the middle of the stage, dancing powerfully to the rhythm of the music blasting across the huge concert hall.

The screams of the fans around her, especially Yizhuo’s next to her, simply couldn’t drown the ringing in her ears that came in like a wrecking ball the moment she laid her eyes on the stunning woman. The celebrity theatrically appeared through the stage lifts and made everyone in the concert hall go _bonkers_ with just her mere presence.

Minjeong is having her own fair share of _going bonkers_ alright.

Because the girl performing just meters away from her is the _very same girl_ from the convenience store whom she almost had a fight with.

In her mind she called her the “ _crazy Pink Pringle-napper”._

The thousands of people inside the concert hall, including her bestfriend Yizhuo, call her _Karina Yoo, the godly princess of South Korea._

And that’s enough to give her a terrible headache throughout the entirety of the concert because _bloody hell??_

Of all people she would have to encounter, it’s _this superstar?_

Minjeong would probably need a jug of Iced Americano when the stupid event is over. This is just a lot to take in…

***

But the universe just wouldn’t give her a damn break. Not even a _second_ to let her breathe and process whatever the heck is going on.

Yizhuo’s simple, _“It’s time for the meet and greet, unnie! Come on!”_ was enough to pale her, blood running cold at the mere thought of meeting _~~crazy Pink Pringle-napper~~ Karina Yoo_ for the second time today.

“You have access for the meet and greet?” she asks, stunned at her friend’s right of entry.

“Of course. I availed their promo right on the clock when they opened the ticketing. I would never miss a chance to meet Karina unnie. _Duh._ ”

Minjeong bites back a groan.

_Yizhuo and her crazy, rich ass._

“Should I really go with you?” she hesitantly asked, “I mean, I’m _not_ a fan. You know, it’s more intimate without a non-fan like me to ruin the fun. Believe me, it would be best if you personally go and meet her in person. _Alone_.”

Yizhuo isn’t having any of her excuses. “Oh shut up. You’re my company tonight so you’re going with me,” dragging a grumbling Minjeong towards the backstage door, “And I want you to meet Karina unnie so you could see for yourself how much of a _visual powerhouse_ she is.”

“But I already did when she was onstage!”

“It’s still a different thing to see her up close unnie. C’mon!”

She wants to tell Yizhuo that _she already did_ at the mini mart; but before she could spill the tea, they were both being ushered through the backstage and towards a busy hallway filled with people.

And there she is, all in her glory.

Karina Yoo is happily conversing with few of the people, probably fans, who are surrounding her. Some were taking pictures. There were even some who were joking around with her.

This side of the girl all smiley and friendly is giving Minjeong a whiplash, a stark contrast to the Karina Yoo she met at the convenience store, glaring and _very intimidating_.

If only she was _this_ nice to her at the convenience store, maybe Minjeong wouldn’t have been so passive aggressive.

“Oh my god!” Yizhuo’s girly squeal beside her almost blasted her eardrum. “There she is unnie! That’s Karina unnie!”

Minjeong could only roll her eyes at her friend.

“Yeah I can see that.”

“We’re just a few feet away from her! _Aaaaccckkkk!_ Aren’t you excited??”

“No.” Minjeong deadpans, grumbling again when Yizhuo grabs her by the arm to get closer to where Karina Yoo is.

Upon the signal of one of the staffs assisting the very casual meet and greet, the group of people talking with the celebrity was ushered away to give way for the other waiting fans.

Which happened to be Yizhuo at this point.

(No, _not Minjeong._ She is _not a fan_ of Karina Yoo.)

But fan or not, much to Minjeong’s chagrin, she was ushered nearer to where Karina Yoo is together with Yizhuo.

_Here we go.._

For the second time that day, her eyes met the girl’s big, round eyes that would never cease to put Minjeong in some sort of a trance.

Maybe if this was a different circumstance, Minjeong would have _liked_ staring at those brown orbs.

Karina Yoo’s eyes are a pair that Minjeong finds quite unique. Not only because of its feline-like shape or how beautifully round it is because _that’s apparently attractive._

It’s just that those eyes hold some kind of enigma or _something_ ; the swirls of brown and black piercing through Minjeong like a burglar, startling and uninvited.

She doesn’t know exactly what it is but _it’s_ _there_.

But before Minjeong could even dwell deeper into whatever it was that she was thinking, her stupor was cut short when a cloud of recognition flashed across Karina Yoo’s pair of eyes, her thick eyebrows suddenly meeting together upon recognizing who she is.

She held Minjeong’s gaze, bold and penetrating.

If the girl thinks Minjeong will back down, _oh hell naww._ She thought _wrong_.

Kim Minjeong hadn’t won staring contests that gave away a week’s supply of banana milk and yakult in high school just for nothing.

_Luckily for the celebrity_ , Yizhuo decided to put her loud mouth to good use.

“Oh my god unnie! I’m your _biggest fan!”_

This pulled Karina Yoo away from the unsolicited attention she was giving Minjeong, focusing on the human embodiment of a megaphone standing excitedly in front of her instead.

“Thank you. Did you enjoy the concert?” asks the singer, giving Minjeong yet another whiplash for the second time that night because _wow._

Karina Yoo was looking so ready to kill her with her looks just a second ago. Now, she’s butterflies and unicorns speaking to Yizhuo all of a sudden.

Minjeong almost scoffed at the duality.

Almost.

“Yes unnie! You were so great out there. Your vocals was on point. Your dance moves were so powerful. And you were so pretty in every set of outfits! I loved it!”

It was taking everything in Minjeong not to puke at her friend’s _disgusting_ tirade.

Does she really have to be this _crazy_ about the woman?

“Oh wow. Is that so?” Karina Yoo asked with amusement in her voice, probably used to this kind of declarations from her fans.

Yizhuo was nothing but a subservient devotee. “Yes yes! You were really cool up there! Right unnie?”

Minjeong almost didn’t catch Yizhuo’s question because she was too busy trying not to look so disinterested at the exchange even if she _clearly is._ Her friend’s nudge shook her out of her blank stare.

“Huh?”

“Karina unnie looked so cool up there on stage a while ago, right?”

Yizhuo was looking at her with a stretched smile, _too stretched_ for Minjeong’s liking, so she had no choice but to nod briskly, going along with the girl’s narrative.

“Right.”

“See?” exclaimed Yizhuo back to the celebrity in front of her, as if she just told Karina Yoo the greatest secret in the world. “Trust me unnie. You are always the best on stage.”

Minjeong darts her eyes to Karina Yoo, only to find the girl already looking at her. She couldn’t read the stare but Minjeong knows that her blasé attitude isn’t making Karina Yoo amused.

"Do you always do this? Flatter your way into people’s hearts?" the celebrity says, attention back on Yizhuo with a ghost of smile on her lips.

"Only to the right ones like you unnie."

_Oh cheesus crust_.

Can the ground just swallow Minjeong whole??

She would rather be an integral part of the earth's surface than live in a society and experience this secondhand embarrassment of her friend's _exaggerated_ zeal for a practical stranger like Karina Yoo.

Yizhuo’s statement earned a chuckle from the singer (Minjeong would like to think that it's her go-to response for cringe ass statements like what Yizhuo just blabbbered) before she extends a hand out to a woman beside her who passed her a set of what looks like wallet-sized pieces of cardboards.

"Since you're being such a sweet-talker, how about I give you unreleased photocards as a gift?"

Wait for it.

_"Aaaaaaaacccckkkk!!!"_

There it goes. Yizhuo's signature boisterous shriek that could bring the dead back to life, awake the monsters in Tartarus and make them wish they go deaf than to hear the _oh so_ unworldly sound.

" _Oh my god oh my god oh my god!!_ Those are unreleased???"

"Yep."

"So if you give me one it means I'd get to have a very limited edition Karina photocards not being sold in stores???"

"That's right."

"And I'd be the _luckiest_ Karebear alive??"

"Uh, well-"

"Aaaaccckkkk!! Yes unnie _please_ I would love to have that photocard _oh my god_!"

If Karina Yoo finds Yizhuo's screams annoying, Minjeong thinks she's really doing a great job of concealing it.

Her?

_Oh hell be damned._

She is certain her face screams outright _disgust and humiliation_ at her friend's shamelessness.

Perhaps even borderline comical because when Karina Yoo flits her eyes to Minjeong, the singer breaks into a smile so tiny Minjeong would've missed it if she didn't happen to land her eyes on Karina Yoo's full lips.

_What._

"Alright then. One photocard for you.." Karina Yoo pulls out one photocard from the stack, hand stopping abruptly when she realized something.

"How about your friend?" she locks eyes with Minjeong, "Does she _want_ a photocard, too??"

Minjeong twitches at the challenging stare, the smug on Karina Yoo's face masked with a perfectly-staged innocent look making her feel bare and helpless.

The girl is _mocking_ her.

Minjeong wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

"Oh no, thanks. I'm not a _fan_ —"

But Yizhuo immediately cuts her off before she could even give Karina Yoo the real-talk she needed.

"Of course she wants a photocard too unnie!” her friend exclaimed, turning to Minjeong to give her the same _overstretched smile_ she was sporting a while ago, “You want to have Karina unnie’s photocard too, right unnie??”

“No, I don’t—”

“Photocard or I’m _burning_ your apartment. Choose your fighter.” Yizhuo grits through her teeth, the overstretched smile still plastered across her face.

_This little fucker._

“A photocard would be awesome. Yes…” Minjeong gives in, locking eyes with Karina Yoo with a pained and tight-lipped smile she only ever wore for annoying customers at the diner.

If _god_ is real, she prays she be given the strength to resist the urge of strangling one Ning Yizhuo in her sleep tonight.

“Okay then,” Karina Yoo looks like she was stifling her laughter, making Minjeong’s blood boil. “What name should I write in here?”

A marker was handed to her by the same woman who gave her the stack of photocards.

“Just write _‘Ningning’_ , unnie.” Yizhuo answers, “My name’s Ning Yizhuo but I’ve been called Ningning since I was a kid.”

“Ahhh, you’re Chinese.”

“Yes.”

“You speak Korean very well though.” Karina Yoo comments, “That’s cool.”

Yizhuo perked up at the compliment she received, Minjeong rolling her eyes when she saw how red her friend’s ears are, an indication that she is pleased by what she heard.

“Ah thank you. I’ve been living here since I was twelve so I know the basics.”

Karina Yoo nodded her head at the information, seemingly impressed. “I see. How about your _friend_?”

Minjeong felt her stomach drop when she realized what the girl was asking.

“Uh, I—”

“Her name’s Kim Minjeong.” For the nth time today, Yizhuo decides to speak in behalf of her.

_Fly high anonymity._

“Kim Minjeong..” Karina Yoo repeats, as if testing the name on her tongue and deciding whether she likes it or not.

Minjeong _doesn’t like_ how the sound of her name from Karina Yoo’s mouth is making her head spin.

“Just write ‘KMJ’,” she sighs, watches Karina Yoo turn even _smugger_ at the information she was receiving.

“Okay, _Kim Minjeong_.”

_Great._ The celebrity has finally put a name on the face of the girl who _claimed_ not to know her but is _found_ attending her concert.

Minjeong and her hard earned dignity… _it’s gone…_

“Here you go..” Karina Yoo hands out the signed photocards after writing something for each of them. Minjeong immediately snatched hers away _before_ Yizhuo could get it.

For some reason, she doesn’t want the girl to read _whatever_ it was Karina Yoo wrote at the back of the photocard. Minjeong knows, _ooohhh she knows,_ the celebrity wouldn’t let her get away that easily after their encounter.

When they were ushered away later on so the other waiting fans could be accommodated, Karina Yoo had _specifically_ sent her a vaguely noticeable challenging brows, topped it off with a smirk that Minjeong wanted _so bad_ to wipe away from her pretty face.

But all Minjeong could do is let out a scoff as she and Yizhuo was escorted away from the woman.

_Good riddance._

***

_(“What did Karina unnie write on your photocard unnie??”_

_“I don’t know. I didn’t read it.”_

_“Well, let’s read it. Come on show it to me.”_

_“No.”_

_“Why not? Let me see it~”_

_“No, Ning Yizhuo.”_

_“Photocard or I’m burning your—”_

_“One more word of that burning my apartment thing and I’ll send you back to China.”_

_“Pfft. You can’t do that.”_

_“Try me. You and I both know who Auntie listens to when it comes to your performance at uni.”_

_“Ahhh! How dare you Kim Minjeong!”)_

***

Later that night when she was finally inside the comforts of her apartment (that Yizhuo had threatened to burn into ashes a million times that day), Minjeong fishes out the signed photocard from her pocket.

She really wished she hadn’t.

_“To KMJ who doesn’t know me,_ ” the handwriting reads, teasing and messy _, “..do you now?”_

Minjeong scoffed at the words, scoffed even more when she realized what a _menace to the society_ Karina Yoo is.

“What a _brat_ ,” grunted a fuming Minjeong, throwing the photocard on her bed side table with a glare, “She’s a _freaking_ little monster..”

***

Jimin scrolls idly through her phone at the backseat of the company car. She and her manager unnie are being driven to her penthouse upon her insistence that she does not want to attend the after-party thrown by her company to celebrate her yet another successful concert.

It’s the same old blue-collared people and _their stocks_ that she’d have to face anyway. _She’s so sick and tired of those._ Fake-smiling, forced laughs.

Jimin wants a break just for tonight. She can face her big bosses and colleagues once she’s reenergized tomorrow.

“What do you want to eat, Jimin-ah?”

Her manager unnie asked from the passenger seat. The petite woman’s loud voice resonating through the cramped car, making Jimin flinch.

She’s always been so rambunctious.

“I don’t have the appetite unnie,” Jimin mumbles, eyes still glued to her phone. “I just want to sleep.”

“Yah, you haven’t eaten anything since this morning.” her manager scolds, “You tricked me into getting to the convenience store but you didn’t even buy anything. Do you want my head to the big bosses if you suddenly faint because of malnutrition?”

At the mention of the convenience store, Jimin suddenly remembered the once in a lifetime encounter she had that afternoon.

Kim Minjeong.

The girl is...distinct. Her valiant and straightforward persona caught Jimin off-guard, qualities that are almost _foreign_ to Jimin. She was so used to people bowing at her mercy that when Kim Minjeong unashamedly told her she has no idea who she is _,_ Jimin was _scandalized_ because _everyone knows her._

She is _Karina Yoo_ for crying out loud.

But Kim Minjeong she… she is built differently.

She is a challenge and Yoo Jimin never backs down from a challenge.

With an idea in mind, she opens her Official Instagram account that she rarely uses, only when she updates something for her fans or when the company tells her to promote something.

Right now, she thinks she could put the account to better use.

“ _Yah_ , are you even listening to me Yoo Jimin?”

Her manager unnie’s nagging comes again but Jimin drowns her out, vaguely hearing her say that _I’m cooking something for you when we get you home_ or something. Jimin was more occupied scrolling through her phone to actually understand what her manager said.

She remembered that she took pictures with the fans that participated in her concert’s meet and greet. She would like to try something out of this.

After hitting the ‘Post’ button, Jimin waits. She doesn’t know if it would work because she has _thousands_ of fans across the country. It would be quite a task once she received tons of notifications after her post.

But when she heard a ‘ _ding’_ on her phone with pop-up notifications, Jimin zooms to her self-imposed task in hand.

She scrolls through the growing number of comments under her concert-related post with a caption that says:

_“You are the best thing that happened to me. Thank you for the memories we make together. #KarebearsJjang #KarinaLovesKarebears_

_PS: If you’re one of the lucky fans who participated in the meet and greet, leave a comment so I can see you!”_

And comment they did.

Jimin sighs at the _tremendous_ amount of comments that were flooding her post. She couldn’t even scroll past a comment without a new one popping in. What was she thinking, she asked her fans to leave a comment _of course_ this will happen.

Jimin was ready to give up when she finally caught sight of a username she has a feeling is the one she’s been looking for.

_@nnyizhuo_prfctn commented: afghjdjfhdfkdkjhkjdsf me me me!!! i went to the meet and greet unnie!! ilysm you are the best T_T_

_@nnyizhuo_prfctn commented: @kminj look at this! we’re on karina unnie’s post aaaccckkk!!_

Clicking at the handle, Jimin was welcomed with a sight that she didn’t expect was of a girl’s Instagram feed at this time and age.

@kminj’s feed contained nothing but a simple “Kim Minjeong” in her profile description with two photos posted for her almost 1K followers. The girl’s feed was _drier_ than the Sahara Desert Jimin can’t help but laugh out loud at the dullness of it all.

“No wonder you don’t know me.” she mumbles to herself, “You’re like a hermit, Kim Minjeong..”

Even the photos in the feed are just as bland. One was an aesthetic photo of the night sky filled with glimmering stars and the other was a silhouette of a girl staring outside a window. All these with a thousand following.

_Not bad._

But realizing that she would get little to no information in the feed, Jimin went back to the previous comment and clicked @nnyizhuo_prfctn’s handle and _voila_. The girl has _thousands_ of posts compared to @kminj’s uninhabited Instagram.

The glaring difference plastered a small smile on Jimin’s face.

She scrolled through the feed trying to find something that could give her more information about a certain radical blonde. Kim Minjeong and Ning Yizhuo felt like a very close duo as per Jimin’s observation during the meet and greet. Surely there are pictures of them together in this feed at least, expectations flaring for the outgoing and bubbly Ning Yizhuo.

Thank god for the girl because Jimin just saw what she was looking for.

And she totally didn’t expect it.

“Wendy unnie,” she called out to her manager who was blabbering about what she plans to cook for dinner once they arrive at the penthouse, “what did you say was Yeri unnie’s café again?”

Wendy abruptly stopped with the yammering and looked at Jimin.

“The one that she opened a few months ago?”

“Yeah I think?”

“ _Madame Yeri Miese_. That’s the name of her restaurant.” Wendy answered, eyeing Jimin in confusion. “Why? Do you want to eat there? I don’t think it’s still open at this hour.”

But Jimin isn’t planning on eating there at this hour.

“Maybe next time then,” she smiles, a glint in her eyes as she stares at her phone with the photo of a certain blonde head posing for the camera with a couple of people and her _Yeri unnie_ in front of a cozy-looking café, “I think I want to try their chicken.”

**Author's Note:**

> I really enjoyed writing this one ngl. I hope you enjoyed reading it too!
> 
> PS: I have a JMJ angst in my drafts. Should I post it or nah?
> 
> PPS: Vote for Karina in the birthday ads event going on, juseyo :)


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